Vol. 489 No. 1
105 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health and Children the reasons for the delay in the implementation of the protocol regarding the availability of methadone from pharmacies; and the timescale for bringing the protocol into operation in the Dublin area. [7588/98]
The methadone treatment services review group's report was published earlier this year and circulated nationwide to general practitioners and pharmacists. The report sets out a number of recommendations aimed at improving the existing arrangements for the prescribing and dispensing of methadone. A committee, comprised of representatives from the Eastern Health Board, the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the General Medical Services (Payments) Board and my Department, is now working on implementing all the recommendations in the report. The committee meets on a regular basis. It is currently considering the timescale for implementation of the recommendations and my Department's officials on the committee will provide me with details of this timescale as soon as it is available.
Issues which must be addressed in agreeing the timescale for full implementation of the report's recommendations include recruitment of more general practitioners and pharmacists into the protocol scheme — the Eastern Health Board is engaged in this process at present; and enactment of regulations putting the methadone scheme on a statutory basis — the draft regulations are currently the subject of consultations between my Department and the Attorney General's Office.
